The present invention relates to a percarbonate based cleaner for cosmetic and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities.
Most of the soils produced in the cosmetic industry are difficult to remove from manufacturing surfaces. In general, the products used to clean or remove manufacturing soils utilize organic solvents. It is known that organic solvents may be troublesome as organic pollutants.
There is a need, therefore, for a commercial product which is able to clean and remove soils relatively easily without utilizing organic solvents. There is also a need to remove waxy pharmaceutical and cosmetic soils which are difficult to remove by conventional means. The present invention overcomes the disadvantages inherent in the use and application of products based on organic solvents by utilizing the cleaning strength of a peroxide based compound.
Cleaning or detergent compositions utilizing the cleaning power of a peroxide based compound have been disclosed in the prior art. Illustrative examples include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,030,377 and 5,089,162.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,030,377 discloses automatic dishwasher detergent compositions comprising: (a) at least one surfactant; and (b) at least one starch debranching enzyme selected from the group consisting of pullulanase, isopullulanase and isoamylase. Optional ingredients include alkaline substances such as bicarbonates (0-90%) and bleaching agents such as Na percarbonate (0-85%). The patent does not teach or suggest any combination of its disclosed ingredients that would work to remove cosmetic and pharmaceutical soils from manufacturing surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,089,162 also discloses a cleaning composition for use in automatic dishwashers. It discloses a cleaning composition including a percarbonate, a bicarbonate and a nonionic surfactant.